Listen to Wikipedia explained

Listen to Wikipedia
Developer:Stephen LaPorte, Mahmoud Hashemi
Programming Language:JavaScript and HTML
License:3-clause BSD license

Listen to Wikipedia, also known as L2W or Hatnote: Listen To Wikipedia, is a multimedia visualizer developed by Mahmoud Hashemi and Stephen LaPorte which translates recent Wikipedia edits into a display of visuals and sounds. The open source software application creates a real-time statistical graphic with sound from contributions to Wikipedia from around the world. To accomplish this, L2W uses the graphics library D3.js.[1]

The concept of Listen to Wikipedia is based on BitListen, originally known as Listen to Bitcoin, by Maximillian Laumeister.[2] [3]

Presentation

Audio

Each edit produces a note in the pentatonic scale.[4] The bell-like sounds of a celesta correspond to edits with a net addition of content to Wikipedia, and the strums of a clavichord correspond to net subtractions of content. The pitch is inversely proportional to the size of the edit (lower pitched notes are produced by larger edits).[5] Newly registered Wikipedia users are welcomed by a string chord.[6]

Visuals

Each edit creates a circle of one of three colors: white for registered users, green for unregistered users, and violet for Wikipedia bots. The size of a circle is proportional to the magnitude of change executed by the edit; larger circles are produced by larger edits. The name of the article edited is displayed in the center of the circle. Clicking on the text opens a Wikipedia page in a new tab in the user's browser, showing the revision. A blue bar at the top of the screen will appear whenever a new Wikipedia user is registered, listing their username. At the bottom left corner, there is a bar showing the amount of edits per minute.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Listen to Wikipedia . Hatnote . August 27, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130830181833/http://blog.hatnote.com/post/56856315107/listen-to-wikipedia . August 30, 2013 . August 30, 2013 . en . live.
  2. Web site: Listen to Wikipedia – Wikimedia blog . July 30, 2013 . June 23, 2016 . June 24, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160624054018/https://blog.wikimedia.org/2013/07/30/listen-to-wikipedia/ . live .
  3. Web site: Hatnote Listen to Wikipedia . Hashemi . Stephen LaPorte and Mahmoud . listen.hatnote.com . June 23, 2016 . January 11, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170111024005/http://listen.hatnote.com/ . live .
  4. News: Listen To The Orchestra Of Users Updating Wikipedia . . Wilson . Mark . August 23, 2013 . December 23, 2019 . August 10, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160810061843/http://www.fastcodesign.com/1673265/listen-to-the-orchestra-of-users-updating-wikipedia#1 . live .
  5. Web site: Listen To Wikipedia: Engineers Translate Edits Into Sound . . June 15, 2016 . June 11, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160611193351/http://www.npr.org/2016/04/13/474120884/listen-to-wikipedia-engineers-translate-edits-into-sound . live .
  6. Web site: Fall asleep to the sound of Wikipedia . . Seifert . Dan . August 9, 2013 . December 23, 2019 . December 24, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191224014329/https://www.theverge.com/2013/8/9/4607240/fall-asleep-to-the-sound-of-wikipedia . live .